The Dance of Fools
by anek
Summary: A sequel to my fic THE BOOK OF JERKS: It's Pan's 18th b-day! Will she be able to know what was inside that box now? Or had Trunks forgotten about it? T/P of course!


Konnichiwa minna-san! I'm back for the sequel to **THE BOOK OF JERKS**. You **HAVE** to read that fic before you read this!!! Or this fic won't make sense! It's a 1-chapter fic so it won't take too much of your time. Just click on my name and browse for the it.

Anyway, please don't kill me if this is not as good as you expected! honestly, i don't know how i got so many reviews for The Book of Jerks, but I'll do my best! 

And sorry for not having the fic out soon. I died and the pplz in HFIL (home for infinite losers) got too tired of me and kicked me back to earth... poor spawnie-chan. Heheh, really, I was tortured by evil teachers during summer school, and now, school has started again! and more evil teachers! wahhhh! can't a poor gal take a break?!!! sobs

Disclaimer (mojo-jojo style): This is a disclaimer, meaning I do not claim so I'm not a claimer, that's why there's a 'dis' in disclaimer because I'm not claiming and because I don't claim, this is a disclaimer, because claiming is not a disclaimer and I do not want to claim that's why I'm writing a disclaimer...er, whatever. sweatdrops at poor attempt at being funny. no one reads disclaimers anyway

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:::THE DANCE OF FOOLS::::

"I'm coming!" Pan shouted again, sticking her head out of the window. Gohan, Videl, Goten, and Chichi were already waiting for her, her dad impatiently making honking noises out of the air-car.

"Honestly! You'd think they'd be a little nicer on my birthday," Pan grumbled, emptying her closet in one haul. Her clothes went flying around the room in an unrecognizable mess.

"Honey! We have to get going! You promised Bra you'd let her dress you up, remember?" Videl called out.

"I'll be there in a sec!" Pan said huffily. Why did they have to go somewhere else for her party anyway? Sure, in Capsule Corp, she could have a nice big party, but who needs one? All she wanted was…

Pan gave her head a vicious shake. "The jerk probably doesn't remember, anyway," she mumbled, "and just where is that stupid thing?!"

Pan drew her brows together thoughtfully. Maybe she had lost the box for good this time.

Honk. Honk.

"Panny! Whatcha doin' in there?" Goten called in a voice that would normally send Pan all depressed thinking about her Grandpa Goku.

"I'm looking for something!" she shouted back, effortlessly flipping her bed over in search of the elusive item that had caused her extreme mental and emotional strain for the last two years.

"Are you looking for this?" Goten.

Pan dashed to the window, almost falling over the sill.

And there her ever so endearing uncle was, leaning over the air-car window and holding out a black box. He looked so innocent that Pan just wanted to pull her hairs out and scream.

"What the hell are you doing with that?!" Pan shouted.

Goten just shrugged. "You threw it out again the other day. I just found it."

"Then you should have returned it to me," Pan said crossly, leaping out of the window and floating straight into the air car where everyone else had been waiting for her.

"You're the one who threw it out," Goten retorted, handing the box to his somewhat irritated niece.

Pan grabbed the box and climbed to an empty seat beside her uncle.

"What's in that thing anyway? I'm starting to think you've got some evil spirits locked up in that box or something," Goten began.

"I-It's nothing," Pan said evasively, shoving the box down on her purse.

But Goten continued his musings. "It has always made you act funny. You throw it out and then you go crazy looking for it."

"Really Uncle 'ten, it's nothing," Pan mumbled, uncomfortably shifting on her seat.

"And then you bang it on the wall, but you get upset when you see a scratch on it," Goten continued.

"Really uncle 'ten! Just let the subject drop, will you?!"

"Hey, birthday girl is a little bit irritable today, ne?," Goten asked teasingly. Then as if a brilliant idea just mysteriously found it's way to his Son brain, he immediately brightened. "I get it! Someone special gave you that box, right?"

Pan flushed and hugged her purse closer as if keeping Goten from sticking his nose on it.

"Of course not!" she denied hotly.

To Pan's relief, Goten didn't press any further. She averted her gaze to the window and found that they were well above Satan city now. She could see the top of Capsule Corp building standing so ominously amidst the city. It looked so close… and yet, so far away. Just like him… Pan thought to herself. Sighing heavily, she took a look at her uncle nonchalantly whistling a familiar tune to himself.

Was he just teasing her? Or does her uncle know something? Someone special, eh?

"Uncle 'ten?" Pan began.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know something?" Pan asked quietly.

"Know what?"

Pan sweatdropped at her uncle's expression of total cluelessness and utter cuteness.

"Never mind," Pan mumbled under her breath.

"Oh," Goten shrugged.

Moments later, the air-car shuddered as it touched down of the Capsule Corp lawn.

Pan flinched as a shrill voice floated as soon as she set her foot on the ground.

Bra came running outside with an expression that looked like it's going to be the end of the world.

"I can't believe you're late! Son Pan!" Bra admonished, not even giving the younger girl time to catch her breath before she was being dragged inside.

"We have so much to do! We have to do your hair! And your make-up should be perfect! Not to mention your dress! I hope we have enough time! And your nails! We have to take care of that too! What color do you want? Red, pearl--" Bra went on and on, but Pan only went along, nodding every now and then.

They took a sharp turn towards Bra's room, and that was when Trunks chose the time to take the same corner from the other side. With her reflexes, Pan managed to avoid running straight to Trunks, but her purse went flying, landing a few feet away.

"Hey Trunks! Watch where you're going, will you? You don't own the entire blasted place!" Bra screeched.

"Well, I do own half the place you know – " Trunks countered, but stopped when he noticed Pan standing with a half-hearted smile across her lips.

"Hi Pan," Trunks said quietly. Two years ago, it had been different…

Pan nodded curtly and gave a feeble smile. She turned around, but gasped. Somehow, the collision with Trunks knocked her purse a few feet away. It lay open, and the box somehow rolled out. Pan hastily bent down once again, and shoved the box back to her purse.

"It's just a make-up kit," she said rather too defensively, before turning around and making her way to Bra's room.

"Oh… I see," Trunks said.

_I knew it! He doesn't even remember!_ Pan fumed in her thoughts. The two girls continued walking down the corridor, only this time, Pan was the one dragging Bra.

"What was that all about?" Bra asked as soon as they closed the door to her room.

"Who knows?" Pan said evasively.

Bra sighed.

"Alright then, let's get started. You're party starts in a few hours."

With that, she settled Pan in front of the dresser and started doing her forte.

Pan sat silently, her eyes blank as she stared at her own reflection in the mirror. She had stopped being mad at Trunks two years ago. Shortly after he had read her book, she had admitted to herself that it was all just an accident. Then why did it all change? Then she knew why. Trunks never said sorry again, never took the initiative the patch things up between them. After that night on her 16th birthday, he never even called her. They just saw each other on family small parties, or whenever she came to visit Bra. 

They were once best friends, but now, they barely even saw each other. Twice, she had thought of asking him why. Maybe she should have forgiven him the first and the only time he said sorry, the night when he came knocking at her window giving her the necklace she still treasured. Twice, she had thought of talking to him first, take the first step and maybe they could go back to the way they were before that night, but the thought that Trunks might be avoiding her just cut through her pride like a wound that wouldn't heal. Maybe that's why he never said anything to her again. After all, she had made it pretty obvious in the book that she had feelings for him.

"There!"

Pan started at Bra's voice.

"Wha-what?"

"I'm done! You've just been sitting there staring into Kami-knows-what for an hour."

"I was just thinking…" Pan trailed off.

"Thinking what?" Bra prodded.

"Umm… thinking about what lipstick color I should wear," Pan lied enthusiastically, knowing it was the best way to get Bra to change the subject.

Of course, Bra brightened and rummaged through her make up kit.

~~~

It was a big party indeed. Bulma had outdone herself this time. It wasn't just a party for the Z-gang. Even her friends from school and people she barely knew were there.

Bulma had insisted on making the party an official 18th debut party for her, and Pan had to dance with 18 starry-eyed boys she barely knew from school. Their compliments and adoring smiles had become too repetitive that Pan just tiredly nodded her head and smiled weakly. She let her eyes roam the crowds, but didn't find the one she had been looking for. _Trunks... how could you? I waited for two years..._

Then out the blue, a flash of white appeared before her eyes. Pan focused her vision to see that it was handkerchief. A blushing boy about her age stood in front of her, shyly offering the white piece of cloth.

"W-would you like to use this handkerchief, Ms. Son?" the boy offered.

Pan knitted her brows curiously. "Doshite?"

The boy blushed again. "Ah... y-you're cr--"

Pan gasped and brought a gloved hand to touch her face. It was slightly damp, and she hadn't even noticed it. Smiling gratefully, Pan took the small cloth and carefully dubbed it on her cheeks.

"Arigato," she thanked the boy and took a careful look around her. Thankfully, no one else has noticed.

"Ah, daijobo ka, Ms. Son?" the boy asked with concern. 

"Hai, I'm fine. Thank you for asking." 

The boy smiled nervously and extended his hand, but before the boy could ask her for a dance, Pan took a step back. The boy was nice, but she was too tired right now. 

"Ah, sumimasen. I need to get some refreshments," she lied, giving the boy an apologetic smile before walking off. She felt sorry for the boy, after all, he was very kind, but she had to get away even for just a while. 

Pan walked carefully towards the building, careful not to trip with the high-heeled shoes Bra had insisted that she wear. No, she won't cry. She had shed enough tears for that purple head. How dare he tell her to wait till her 18th b-day and then forget about it? 

'_Because Gohan will kill me if you open it now, Panny,' _Pan mimicked in her thoughts. She had spent the last two years, wondering what those words meant, but all the answers she could come up with were just either too ridiculous, or impossible. Really, how does a girl suppose to act when the guy you love gives you a box, but you can't open it for two more years? And worse yet, two years later, that guy doesn't even remember anything about that box? _And he's not even in my party! Damn you Trunks! _

Pan didn't care anymore. She lifted her skirt and irritably stomped inside Capsule Corp, almost bumping into Bulma, head on. 

"Pan-chan?" Bulma asked worriedly, taking in Pan's expression. "Aren't you enjoying your party?" 

Pan flushed, she knew Bulma had worked hard for this party. 

"Gomen ne, Bulma-san. I was j-just…" Pan trailed off, not knowing what to say. 

Bulma laughed. "Those young boys must be irritating you, eh? Pan, you're already 18, give those boys a chance. Bra tells me you never had a boyfriend." 

Pan choked. "Well, I… I…" Well, what was she supposed to say? _It's because I'm in love with your stupid son._

Bulma laughed. "When I was 18, I was crazy about boys! Your grandpa used to think that's all I think about." 

Pan smiled sadly at the mention of her grandpa. _Ojii-san… _

"Gomen Pan-chan. I shouldn't have said that," Bulma apologized, knowing how even the slightest mention of Goku's name could sadden the quarter saiyan. 

"It's alright, Bulma-san." 

"Hai, anyway, maybe we should go back to the party. Everyone's probably looking for the birthday girl already," Bulma suggested. 

Pan nodded and walked outside with Bulma. Pan cast her eyes down when she noticed that Trunks still wasn't there. Lifting her chin back again, she noticed a table with piles of assorted gifts. Some were in colorful gift bags, and some were wrapped in neat ribbons. A slight flicker of hope fluttered in Pan's heart… _perhaps… _It's unlikely, but it was worth a try. 

With a hopeful smile, Pan turned to Bulma. "Bulma-san, I'll just take a look at the gifts. I promise, I won't open anything yet." 

Bulma grinned and nodded. "Same old Pan-chan." 

Pan rushed to the table almost excitedly and began rummaging through the pile as slowly as she can without collapsing the entire heap. Some people were looking at her curiously now, but Pan just shrugged. She had waited for this for two years… 

She was almost done with the pile and Pan almost gave up. Not even a single gift that says 'To Pan with love, from Trunks' or even something that says 'To my _friend_ Pan, from _friend_ Trunks'! Heck, she wouldn't even mind if he just stashed it in a grocery bag or something! 

Pan gritted her teeth, suddenly having the urge to break the entire table over a certain purple head. Pan sighed. It was no use. Trunks had forgotten all about it, otherwise, he would have said something when he saw the box earlier, right? She turned around to hunt that jerk down and give him a piece of her mind. It was then that she heard a small crunch under her feet. Bending down, she picked up the small box that she had quite flattened out with her shoes. She must have knocked it down when she was rummaging through the table. There was no card attached, or anything that give even the slightest clue of whom the gift was from. Almost with shaking fingers, Pan ripped off the wrap and gasped… it was a key. 

_It's a key! It's a key! _Pan's mind reeled. It was too good to be true… but who else would give her a key for a birthday gift?! Ignoring the curious looks of the guests, she lifted her skirt and dashed inside, straight to Bra's room where she had left her purse… and the black box. 

With trembling fingers, Pan inserted the key on the box's keyhole, closing her eyes briefly when the key fitted perfectly. She turned the key and heard a click… 

"Pan! Pan!" Bra burst into the room. "Pan! There you are! Everyone's been looking for you! It's time for you to cut the cake!" Bra blabbered in one breath. 

Pan hastily shoved the box back to her purse before Bra could notice it. "I'll be there in a minute…" she croaked. _Not now, Bra! I've waited for so long!_

"No, you have to go. Just do what you're doing when the party's over," Bra insisted, grabbing Pan by the arm. 

But before they stepped out of the room, Pan grabbed her purse. No, two years of waiting for this was long enough… she thought. _I don't care, I'll open it downstairs._

::: 

Pan sighed when she finally got lucky and had some space to breath. After cutting the cake, everybody had prompted her to give a little speech, and dance with a couple other people. It took all of her effort not to stomp on those boys' feet. Picking the purse she had carefully placed hidden beneath the table, she headed towards the farthest spot she could pick, but near enough so that it wouldn't be too dark. Looking around carefully, Pan sighed when no one noticed her. The spot was closer to the garden, concealed enough for her to finally open that damn box without any interruptions this time. 

Pulling it out of her purse once again, Pan placed it on the stone bench and turned the key. The box sprung open revealing two small figures standing together in the middle. Soft music filled the air… but Pan could only blink… _This is it? A music box… that's all? _

All that distress for a single stupid music box!!! She squinted her eyes in the dark to focus on the accursed box, and that was when she noticed the two small figures dancing with the music. One was a figure of a man wearing a dark tuxedo, but it's hair has been dubbed in purple. It was smiling, gazing lovingly at the smaller figure… a girl in a flowing white dress, she had dark hair and dark eyes… and they swirled with the music in their own world, gazing into each other's eyes… Pan's eyes watered as she stared at the miniature dancing couple… _Why? _

As the music ended, tears were uncontrollably flowing down her cheeks now… she felt so envious. To dance with the one you love… would she ever know how that would feel? She attempted to close the box again, and it was then she noticed that everyone else was now looking at her. Pan flushed when realization dawned. She had been so captivated with the dancing couple in the music box that she didn't notice just how loud the music coming from it had been. No doubt everybody probably heard it, and saw her crying too! 

Pan hastily wiped her tears with her hand. "G-gomen, gomen," she apologized. 

"Pan…" 

Pan started at the familiar voice. It couldn't have belonged to someone else. She looked around nervously, but Trunks was still nowhere to be found. 

"Pan, knowing you, you would probably open this box the first time you get the chance, that's just like you, Panny," the voice continued. 

Pan's eyes widened when she realized the voice was coming out from the music box… a recording? But that wasn't the problem, it was loud enough for everyone to hear, and indeed, everyone had stopped dancing, even the music from the party had stopped. 

Pan noticed Gohan and Videl looking at her curiously, as well as everyone else. They too, recognized it was Trunks' voice. 

"Sorry! Sorry!" Pan apologized again, and hurriedly closed the box, but just as she hadn't been able to open it before, it wouldn't budge close this time either. 

Blushing madly, Pan tried to stash the box back into her purse, but the next thing she heard made her pause. 

"Panny, I am recording this just after I got back from your house and invaded your privacy, and for that, I will let everyone else invade mine. I hope that two years from now, you would have forgiven me for my foolishness," the voice continued. 

Pan dared to take a look at Gohan, who was now frowning. _Dad, it's not what you think! _Pan thought desperately_. _Gah! The first thing she would do after this is beat that jerk into a pulp! _First, he almost drove me crazy for two years, and now, he's embarrassing me like this!!! _

"That it! That's it!" Pan raged between gritted teeth and shoved the box back to her purse. She stomped off, ignoring the looks of the guests… but in all her life, nothing could have prepared her for what she heard next from the recording. 

_"_Panny… ashiteru." 

Pan stopped dead on her tracks. The purse slipped from her shaking hands and landed with a soft thud on the grass. The music box rolled out. 

And there she was, standing smack in the middle of at least 30 people, her quivering knees barely able to hold her up. 

Pan could only stare at the ground, unable to hold her tears back. _Trunks, you really are a jerk… _she thought, but there was small smile across her lips. 

Trunks' voice continued to echo among the gaping crowd. 

"I couldn't tell you right now that I feel the same way, Panny. You are still too young. Young people get confused with their feelings sometimes, and I can't take advantage of that. I guess by the time you hear this, you'd probably either be hating me, or laughing at me. If you had fallen for someone else by then, then I wish you happiness. But I'll be waiting for two years… until then." 

There was an almost imperceptible static signal as the recording ended. The dancing miniature couple in the music box started twirling again as the soft music blared. 

Pan could hear Videl, Chichi, Bulma and a few other girls sobbing. Gohan had a thoughtful expression on his features. Goten was grinning, and Bra was smiling at her, but Pan could see tears glinting on her friends eyes. And Trunks… 

Pan gasped. Trunks was standing only a few feet away from her. His purple hair glinted under the soft moonlight… and he was wearing a dark tuxedo… just like the dancing figure… 

Their eyes met and Trunks slowly closed the gap between them. Pan was barely aware of the people staring at them, but that didn't matter now… nothing else mattered. 

"Trunks, you're such a jerk," she whispered with a smile just as Trunks stood directly in front of her. 

Trunks grinned. "Yeah, King of Jerks, right?" 

Pan nodded, biting back a sob. 

Trunks brought a hand to lift her chin and wipe a tear with his thumb. 

"Why are you crying, koishi?" he whispered. 

Another sob came out from Pan at the endearment. She never thought she'd hear that from Trunks. 

"Because you're such a fool. First, you make me wait for two years, and then you embarrass me like this," Pan admonished softly, smiling at the purple-haired demi saiyan. 

"Does it really?" Trunks asked. 

"Doest it really what?" 

Trunks smiled. "Does it really embarrass you to let everyone know that I love you?" 

That did it. Pan threw herself in Trunks arms and sobbed on his chest. 

"Trunks?" Pan asked in a muffled voice against Trunks' suit. 

"Hmm?" 

"I love you too." 

"I know," Trunks whispered back. "Perhaps you were right Panny, I was a fool. But will you let this fool dance with you?" 

Wiping her tears, Pan stepped back and smiled. "I must be a bigger fool, 'coz I think I'm going to say yes." 

Chuckling, Trunks pulled out a small box from his pocket. "And will you let this fool marry you?" 

Pan's smile widened. "I must be the biggest fool coz I think I will." 

The crowd applauded, some were in tears, others were smiling. Pan stepped closer to Trunks, her face flushed in red. 

_Kami! We said all that in front of all these people? _Taking another look at the handsome man beside her, Pan smiled and her embarrassment faded… _But then again… what would you expect when two fools fall in love? _

_~~~~the end~~~~ _

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a/n: ahhhh! The fluff! the waff! I think I'm gonna die of diabetes!!! 

Oh yeah, some notes, you guys probably know this already, but just to make sure: 

Doshite –why 

Sumimasen –excuse me 

Baka – fool/stupid 

Daijobo – are you okay (or something like that) 

Koishi – beloved (my favorite Japanese word giggles ) 

Ashiteru – I love you 

I hope that was ok. I think some people guessed that it could be a note saying Trunks feelings for Pan, well, I think that was pretty close, so some of you got the answer right! But sorry! Spawnie-chan is poor so she can't afford a prize! Gomen ne! 

Anyway, I hope you liked it! 

And please review and make me happy! It's just a click away! Onegai! 

Ja! 

~~spawnie-chan 


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